Rod holder and mounting therefor



April 19, 1966 w. E. LATIMER ROD HOLDER AND MOUNTING THEREFOR Filed June 27, 1963 IN VENTO R.

Ammeys United States Patent ()ffice 3,246,865 Patented Apr. 19, 1966 3,246,865 ROD HOLDER AND MOUNTING THEREFOR William E. Latimer, Goodland, Tex. (Star Rte., Baileyboro, Tex.) Filed June 27, 1963, Ser. No. 291,080 3 Claims. (Cl. 248-41) This invention relates to an improved support and holder for a rod, for example, a reel-equipped fishing rod, and wherein said holder is adjustably bracketed, for example, on the rail atop the gunwale of a fishing boat.

Briefly, the invention comprises a sectional spring-loaded holder. The sections are L-shaped and slidingly joined for extensible and retractible adjusting needs. The upper portions of the vertical end members of the L-sections are fashioned to releasably but reliably grip cooperating portions of the fishing rod.

The outer or forward L-shaped section is made of rod stock bent to shape and providing a pair of coplanar spaced parallel arms. The inward or rear section embodies a simple plate with a cup-like socket member for the end of the butt. It also carries a pair of sleeves which provide additional socket members for telescopic reception of the arms.

Experience has shown that it is desirable to provide a holder wherein the upstanding or vertical end members of the two L-sections constitute jaw-like grips and which insure ready positioning and subsequent retention of the handgrip therebetween. In addition, the spring biasing arrangement insures that while the jaw-gripping action is firm and reliable the angler may readily grab the handgrip and with a slight rearward thrust action he can overcome the tension of the spring and, with the handgrip suitably freed from the above-named jaw-like grips, the rod is at his disposal for fishing.

The improved mounting means is characterized by a flanged bushing with the bushing fitting into a hole in the gunwale rail and with the flange fastened atop the rail, said flange having circumferentially spaced grooves or keeper seats for a pin on an assembling and mounting bolt, said bolt being slidable and rotatable in the bushing, having a spring-pressed nut at its bottom to facilitate assembling and turning adjustments and having means at its upper end hingedly connectible with a fixed part embodied in the forward L-sections of the holder.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective showing a fragmentary portion of the gunwale of a fishing boat including the top rail, said rail provided with the adaptable bracketing means, said bracketing means hingedly connected with the vertically tiltable yoke and the yoke supporting the handle portion of a rod;

FIGURE 2 is a section, with the rod parts in elevation, taken approximately on the longitudinal section line 2-2 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURES 3 and 4 are sections on the lines 33 and 44 of FIGURE 2.

The wall of the boat gunwale is denoted by the numeral 6 and the rail at 8. To accommodate the improved bracketing and mounting means the rail is provided with a vertical hole 10. This hole serves to accommodate the vertical bushing 12, the latter provided at its upper end with a disk-like flange or head 14 resting flatwise atop the rail and screwed or otherwise appropriately secured thereto with fasteners 16. It should be noted that the top sur face of the flange is provided with circumferentially spaced radial grooves which constitute keeper seats 18 for coacting terminal portions 20 of a keeper pin 22 on a hollow or an equivalent mounting bolt 24. This bolt is slidingly and rotatably mounted in the bushing and has a screwthreaded lower end 26 with a nut 28 thereon, the nut serving as an abutment for a coil spring 30, the spring encircling the lower threaded portion of the bolt between the tensioning nut and end of the bushing. It will be noted, too, that the upper end portion of the hollow bolt is flattened and provided with a bolt hole therethrough thus providing a hinging lug 32. The flanged bushing constitutes an adapter, the latter designated generally by the numeral 13. Considering the spring-loaded nutequipped bolt and keeper pin 22 in conjunction with the adapter, these parts together constitute a detachable and an adjustable mounting for the rod supporting yoke denoted as an entity by the numeral 34. This yoke is elongated but is generally U-shaped in side elevation and, broadly speaking, has a bight portion which is extensible and contractible and end portions which constitute adaptable rod-supporting and gripping jaws. More specifically the yoke comprises a first forward or outward L-shaped section 36 and a complemental inward or rearward L- :shaped section 38. The section 36 is fashioned from relatively rigid rod members each of which is L-shaped in form. The vertical portions 40 are close together and A rigidly joined by connecting webs 42. The upper ends are formed into bent hooks 44 which provide a claw and which serves to removably seat the conical nose portion of a rod coupling member 46. The horizontal portions constitute limbs or arms 48 having converging portions 50 and also supporting a mounting plate 52 fixed therebetween. This plate is provided on its underneath side with a pair of spaced parallel assembling ears 54 which straddle the aforementioned lug 32 and which are connected thereto by an assembling bolt 56 and complemental wing nut 58. The L-section 38 comprises a simple rectangular plate 60 having a laterally flared upper end 62 provided on its forward face with a cup-like member 64 which constitutes a seating socket for the removable terminal portion of the butt 66 of the handgrip 68 of the fishing rod 70. The plate 60 is provided on its outwardly facing side with a pair of coplanar fixed parallel sleeves 72 which constitute elongated socket members and which telescopically and removably receive the cooperating portions 74 of the aforementioned arms or limbs 48. A coil spring 76 is located between the socket members and has one end 78 anchored on the plate and the other end 80 anchored on the aforementioned horizontal mounting plate 52. This coil spring is relaxed in the position shown in FIG. 1 but serves in this normal state to draw the telescoping component parts 48 and 72 of the two L-sections 34 and 38 together in a normal position.

In practice the adapter 13 is screwed or otherwise fixed in place on the rail 8 with the nut-equipped end depending below the rail and with the coil spring 30 interposed between the nut 28 and the bottom of the bushing 10. This spring 30 can be tensioncd from time-to-time in order to make sure that the keeper pins are yieldingly seated in the keeper seats 18. The yoke 34 is hingedly cradled atop the lug 32 of the bolt and the nut 58 can be tightened to maintain the desired angling position of the rod. The handle means on the rod is fitted into place with the socket 64 accommodating the butt and the coupling 46 accommodated by the hooked finger means 44. The holder and rod as a unit can be adjusted or tilted up and down and the bracketing bolt 24 thereon can be rotated to aim the rod in the desired direction. When a strike is had the angler simply exerts rearward pressure of the handle 74] against the spring-loaded L-section 36 whereupon said section is extended rearwardly permitted by the action of the coil spring 76 and, after having disengaged the conical nose portion 46 from the bent hooks 44, the end 66 of the handgrip can be easily freed from the socket 64.

While the holder bracketing and mounting means is illustrated in use in conjunction with a boat wall or gunwale it is to be understood that the numerals 6 and 8 may also be properly interpreted as covering any appropriate relatively stationary support such as a rail on a wharf, pier or the like. By using a spring-loaded bolt and nut mounting one may release the nut 28 and remove the spring 30 and withdraw the bolt from the bushing and retain the bolt as a part of the cradling yoke or the nut and springequipped bolt may be allowed to remain in place and the separation between the yoke and mounting means may be achieved by removing the jointing and hinging bolt 56 simply by removing the wing nut 58.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a stationary support rail having a hole therethrough, a bushing fitted in and through said hole, said bushing being provided at an upper end thereof with a fixed outstanding flange seated upon and fixed to the top surface of said rail, the top of said flange being radially recessed to provide selectively usable circumferentially spaced keeper seats, a bolt rotatable and adjustable in said bushing and having a lower end threaded and equipped with a nut, the lower end portion of said bolt being encircled by a coil spring, said coil spring resting on said nut and engaging an end of said bushing, said bolt being provided on an upper portion thereof with a keeper pin selectively seatable in said keeper seats, a cradling and supporting yoke for a cooperating end portion of a rod, said yoke embodying a plate having depending lugs separably and hingedly mounted atop the aforementioned bolt, said yoke comprising an L-shaped forward section and a cooperating L-shaped rearward section, said forward section having spaced coplanar arms, said rearward section having elongated sleeves constituting socket members and end portions of said arms being fitted telescopingly into their respectively cooperable socket members, and a coil spring having one end connected to the aforementioned plate and the other end thereof connected to the rearward L-shaped section.

2. A holder for the handgrip portion of a fishing rod comprising an elongated generally U-shaped yoke embodying a forward section substantially L-shaped in side elevation, and a rearward substantially L-shaped complemental section, said forward section embodying a pair of like rods secured and fixed together, said rods having vertical portions terminating at upper ends in like fingers cooperating with each other and defining and providing a retaining claw adapted to conformingly grip the leading end of the stated handgrip, and also having spaced horizontal coplanar members constituting arms, a spring anchoring plate fixedly mounted between median portions of said arms, said plate having means for adjustably and detachably mounting the overall holder on a relatively stationary support, said rearward L-shaped section comprising a plate provided on a forward side thereof with a cup-like member constituting a seating socket for an end of said handgrip, being further provided on said forward side with a pair of spaced parallel coplanar elongated sleeves fixed in place on said plate and constituting socket members, cooperating portions of said arms being fitted telescopingly and slidingly into their respective socket members, and a coil spring located between the sleeves and having a forward end anchore-d on said first-named plate, and a rearward end anchored on the second-named plate.

3. A holder for a reel-equipped handgrip of a conventional-type fishing rod comprising, in combination, an elongated yoke generally U-shaped in side elevation, said yoke embodying a forward section substantially L-shaped in side elevation and a rearward substantially L-shaped section complemental to said forward section, said forward section comprising a pair of like rods having upstanding forward end portions terminating in adjacent correspondingly constructed fingers cooperating with each other and defining and providing a claw, adapted to conformingly grip the leading end of the aforementioned handgrip, and also having a pair of spaced horizontal coplanar parallel members constituting arms, a spring anchoring plate interposed between respective median portions of said arms, said plate being spaced rearwardly from said upstanding claw and having a rearward edge portion spaced forwardly of the rearward ends of said arms, means carried by said plate whereby said holder may be adjustably and detachably mounted for adjustable use on a relatively stationary support, said rearward L-shaped section comprising an upstanding thrust plate parallel to the aforementioned claw and provided on a forward median portion with a forwardly opening cup-like member providing a socket for seating and holding an end portion o-f the handgrip of the aforementioned fishing rod, said thrust plate being further provided on a forward side of a lower end portion with a pair of spaced parallel coplanar sleeves constituting socket members, the rearward end portions of said arms being fitted telescopingly and slidingly in their respective socket members and the rearward edge of said spring anchoring plate being normally spaced forwardly of the forward terminal ends of said sleeves, and a single coil spring located in the space between the respective sleeves and having a rearward end anchored on a lower end portion of the thrust plate and a forward end portion anchored on a rearward edge portion of said spring anchoring plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,314,747 3/1943 White 248-42 2,454,458 11/1948 Kaetker 248-42 2,566,496 9/ 1951 Montano 248-42 2,603,900 7/1952 Kellett 43-212 X 2,866,614 12/1958 Lael 248-117] 2,939,364 6/1960 Doswell et a1 248-40 X 2,981,509 4/1961 Messenger et al. 248-42 3,089,674 5/1963 Bastie 248-40 CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner. CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A STATIONARY SUPPORT RAIL HAVING A HOLE THERETHROUGH, A BUSHING FITTED IN AND THROUGH SAID HOLE, SAID BUSHING BEING PROVIDED AT AN UPPER END THEREOF WITH A FIXED OUTSTANDING FLANGE SEATED UPON AND FIXED TO THE TOP SURFACE OF SAID RAIL, THE TOP OF SAID FLANGE BEING RADIALLY RECESSED TO PROVIDE SELECTIVELY USABLE CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED KEEPER SEATS, A BOLT ROTATABLE AND ADJUSTABLE IN SAID BUSHING AND HAVING A LOWER END THREADED AND EQUIPPED WITH A NUT, THE LOWER END PORTION OF SAID BOLT BEING ENCIRCLED BY A COIL SPRING, SAID COIL SPRING RESTING ON SAID NUT AND ENGAGING AN END OF SAID BUSHING, SAID BOLT BEING PROVIDED ON AN UPPER PORTION THEREOF WITH A KEEPER PIN SELECTIVELY SEATABLE IN SAID KEEPER SEATS, A CRADLING AND SUPPORTING YOKE FOR A COOPERATING END PORTION OF A ROD, SAID YOKE EMBODYING A PLATE HAVING DEPENDING LUGS SEPARABLY AND HINGEDLY MOUNTED ATOP THE AFOREMENTIONED BOLT, SAID YOKE COMPRISING AN L-SHAPED FORWARD SECTION AND A COOPERATING L-SHAPED REARWARD SECTION, SAID FORWARD SECTION HAVING SPACED COPLANAR ARMS, SAID REARWARD SECTION HAVING ELONGATED SLEEVES CONSTITUTING SOCKET MEMBERS AND END PORTIONS OF SAID ARMS BEING FITTED TELESCOPINGLY INTO THEIR RESPECTIVELY COOPERABLE SOCKET MEMBERS, AND A COIL SPRING HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO THE AFOREMENTIONED PLATE AND THE OTHER END THEREOF CONNECTED TO THE REARWARD L-SHAPED SECTION. 